Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?

[slowsider]

Yes- it’s a choice but pretty much what Dazzle described. It was explained to me like this from the Volvo dealership ( you order the car online btw):


“ it helps distinguish proper EV to those cunts driving hybrids and is important as more and more services prioritise their charging stations to full EV first”

I was watching plates more closely because I'd noticed that lots didn't have the little eu GB and stars, and not just post-Brexit regs. I wondered if people had gone to the trouble of getting new plates to really stick it to the forriners. Then I noticed the green bits.

[Mussels]

I could get a green plate made up for my diesel if it meant free parking, it's just virtue signalling.

[slowsider]

I could get a green plate made up for my diesel if it meant free parking, it's just virtue signalling.

It may be but you can but "only fully zero-emission vehicles are eligible, " apparently.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I could get a green plate made up for my diesel if it meant free parking, it's just virtue signalling.

I could drive through speed cameras with impunity if I put an entirely fake plate on my car.

I could spend loads of money I don't have by using fake cash.

I could scam little old ladies out of their pensions by pretending to be from the bank when I'm not.

[Cousin Jack]

-rigged

.....I was in the small lock at Zandaam a while back ( must have been about 4 years ago now!) in Mascotte, which has a 475 Daf....

"Mascotte", as in a gaff-rigged pilot cutter? See her quite often, she is based in Charlestown in Cornwall.

[Mussels]

I could get a green plate made up for my diesel if it meant free parking, it's just virtue signalling.

I could drive through speed cameras with impunity if I put an entirely fake plate on my car.

I could spend loads of money I don't have by using fake cash.

I could scam little old ladies out of their pensions by pretending to be from the bank when I'm not.

I wouldn't do it as I expect wardens just look for an exhaust pipe, I doubt they care about a green sticker.

[demographic]

I could get a green plate made up for my diesel if it meant free parking, it's just virtue signalling.

Err.... riiight.
Go for it.

[David]

-rigged

.....I was in the small lock at Zandaam a while back ( must have been about 4 years ago now!) in Mascotte, which has a 475 Daf....

"Mascotte", as in a gaff-rigged pilot cutter? See her quite often, she is based in Charlestown in Cornwall.

No, sorry, a small iron built (and riveted) dutch harbor tug....

[Docca]

One huge frustration from Today:

Went to Halfords to get some roof bars ( so I can the get a MTB stand).

‘What’s your registration?’

‘21’

‘Yeah, that’s too new’

‘But it’s the same frame as the 19 and 2.0’

‘But your reg is 21 so it’s too new’

So I’m stuck and not sure what to do

[Mussels]

One huge frustration from Today:

Went to Halfords to get some roof bars ( so I can the get a MTB stand).

‘What’s your registration?’

‘21’

‘Yeah, that’s too new’

‘But it’s the same frame as the 19 and 2.0’

‘But your reg is 21 so it’s too new’

So I’m stuck and not sure what to do

Check with Volvo that the roof bars are rated to carry a load and not just decorative. I thought that was rediculous until I saw an EV manufacturer state on thir website that the rails were purely decorative.
Then buy mail order from roofbox.co.uk because they usually have their shit together.

[Mussels]

From the AA.
https://www.theaa.com/cars/news/electri ... 14727.html

Why are green number plates being introduced?
You might think they’re just for show, but there are a number of key reasons behind them – including raising awareness for drivers, and opening up the possibility of EV-only benefits in the future. These might include free parking and access to low-emissions zones, for example.

Upon being confirmed earlier this year, the government said: “The plates will make it easier for cars to be identified as zero emission vehicles, helping local authorities design and put in place new policies to incentivise people to own and drive them.”

Just for show then.

[Docca]

So I’ve turned one-pedal drive on. Takes some getting used to; the car brakes when you take your foot off the accelerator. Quite like it- feels more like a go kart

With their app, you can also warm the car up before you get in it. No use in September, but cold winter mornings should be a doddle.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Its regenning....charging the battery. The electric motor is equally able to act as a generator, so rather than using the brakes to slow down you can "run the engine in reverse" and make electricity to recharge the battery a bit.

With practice you'll never need to change the brake pads again. Although it would probably be wise to brake hard with the normal pedal once in a while so the "real" brakes activate. Just to make sure they don't seize up.

[Count Steer]

Mr Dazzle, as our tame expert - I read that pure electric is likely to be a stop-gap and the smart money is going into hydrogen cell/electric hybrids. It would solve a lot of problems with range and 'refill' times. Thoughts?

[Mr. Dazzle]

Just for show then.

Its chicken and egg.

If you introduce a law which says "only cars with a green tag can park/drive here" you need the cars to have green tags.

If you introduce a law which says "all electrics cars must have green tags, but it doesn't mean anything yet" people will complain about the pointless law.

So you do what they're doing now, you make them voluntary but advised so that step one is already in the works.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Mr Dazzle, as our tame expert - I read that pure electric is likely to be a stop-gap and the smart money is going into hydrogen cell/electric hybrids. It would solve a lot of problems with range and 'refill' times. Thoughts?

Funnily enough, I was on a residential training course this week (nothing EV specific) and had the obligatory dinner with the senior leadership team. Our CEO and CTO see batteries as the future.

One thing to remember is that fuel cell cars are still electric. They use fuel cells to make electricity, but they're still electric.

As I've said a few times, for technical reasons you're unlikely to see a pure fuel cell car long term. They're gonna have batteries or super capacitors as well. So why double up?

I think they'll play a part, but I think it's more likely that batteries will dominate. Most people simply don't need the 5 minute fill up. They think they do, but realistically they just don't. I know every time someone says something like that 14 people chime in with "but my gran lives 700 miles away and I drive 900 miles as a holiday" but the simple truth is those people are the exception.

[demographic]

Mr Dazzle, as our tame expert - I read that pure electric is likely to be a stop-gap and the smart money is going into hydrogen cell/electric hybrids. It would solve a lot of problems with range and 'refill' times. Thoughts?

Some serious issues with some methods of hydrogen fuel production.
This covers so called "Blue Hydrogen" production which is split from.... fossil fuel



The hydrogen produced by splitting water however seems a far better prospect but Shell is less inclined to jump headlong into its production.

[Count Steer]

How about a hydrogen ICE? (The article was in The Economist IIRC and they were looking at where private equity was pushing money. The argument being that that sort of money is usually 'smarter' than the entrenched corporate investments). It was quite convincing as, I guess, the existing engine plant wouldn't need much retooling and, strategically, the lithium sellers don't have your nads in a vice.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Dead end IMO.

If only cause they'll be 2 or 3 times the running cost. Who's gonna buy that?

Then throw in the fact its relatively easy to make a 1000bhp electric car - even if its fuel cell powered - but making a 1000bhp ICE is a big undertaking. Now obviously not every car is gonna be 1000bhp but it demonstrates the point.

ICE powertrains take up way more space, cost more to maintain and makes noises and smells. Now of course people like the noise, but not all the time.

You're right that you can make hydrogen ICE using technology closer to current engines. But everyone is rebooting anyway, so if anything you'd spend more doubling up.

So you can have the car with a big boot, which does 100mpg and has 1000bhp. Or you can have the one which doesn't. Which one is going to sell?

[Count Steer]

Mr Dazzle, as our tame expert - I read that pure electric is likely to be a stop-gap and the smart money is going into hydrogen cell/electric hybrids. It would solve a lot of problems with range and 'refill' times. Thoughts?

Some serious issues with some methods of hydrogen fuel production.
This covers so called "Blue Hydrogen" production which is split from.... fossil fuel



The hydrogen produced by splitting water however seems a far better prospect but Shell is less inclined to jump headlong into its production.

Yebbut, Shell have a lot of sunk assets producing hydrocarbons inc. methane and not a lot of green electricity. They're also, historically, one of the least ethical producers so I wouldn't use them as a bellwether*.

*Which I now find is a leading boss sheep with a bell on. You live and learn.